Container with sliding shutter for a liquid melt

ABSTRACT

A container with a sliding shutter for a liquid melt having an orifice plate of refractory material with a flow passage fixed on the bottom of the container. A slidable valve plate has a flow passage opposite the orifice plate. A gas permeable body through which gas can be fed to the melt cooperates with the flow passage of the orifice plate. A plurality of gas conduits are connected with the gas permeable body for feeding selectively various gases to the melt. The conduits are provided with a three-way valve.

[ NOV. 20, 1973 United States Patent 1191 Kutzer 3,581,948 6/1971 PolDetalle.. 222/DIG. 7 3,253,307 5/1966 Griffiths et 222/DIG. 1

[ CONTAINER WITH SLIDING SHUTTER FOR A LIQUID MELT [75] Inventor:Hans-Joachim Kutzer, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,146,218 11/1957222/DIG. ll

Germany Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerDavid A.Scherbel Attorney-Wenderoth; Lind & Ponack [22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1971[21] Appl. N0.: 123,612

[57] ABSTRACT A container with a sliding shutter for a liquid melt [30]Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 23, 1970Germany................... P 20 19 550.0

having an orifice plate of refractory matenal wlth a flow passage fixedon the bottom of the container. A

" 322d 37/00 sl1dable valve plate has a flow passage oppos1te the or- 21, 7, ifice plate. A gas permeable body through which gas 222/DIG, 111)](; 14 13, 148 561; can be fed to the melt cooperates with the flowpas- 164/34 PP sage of the orifice plate. A plurality of gas conduitsare connected with the gas permeable body for feeding selectivelyvarious gases to the melt. The conduits [52] US. 222/148, 222/561 [51]Int. [58] Field of Search..................

References Cited d h th al UNITED STATES PATENTS are provr e wit aree-way v ve.

3/1971 3 Drawing Figures 7 Claims,

3567,082 Tinnes 222/561 PATENIEunumoasn 3,773,226

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FIG.3

INVENTOR HANS-JOACHIM KUTZER ATTORNEYS CONTAINER WITH SLIDING SHUTTERFOR A LIQUID MELT The invention refers to a container with a slidingshutter for a liquid melt comprising an orifice plate with a flowpassage firmly set on the bottom of the container, opposite to it aslidable valve plate with a How passage, and a refractory body permeableto gas, through which an inert gas can be fed to the melt set in theflow passage of the orifice plate.

In this kind of container the object of feeding gas to the melt in thearea of the flow passage of the orifice plate is to prevent the metalfrom hardening due to cooling and thus occluding the flow passage.Furthermore this measure helps to homogenize all of the remaining meltin the container.

There are also other reasons for feeding gas to a melt, particularlyreaction gases. For instance with aluminum melts, chlorine is introducedin order to free the melt of undesired metalloids, particularly sodium.The reaction gases were in the past blown into the melt from abovethrough graphite pipes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a more effective way ofdegassing the melt, without having to use graphite pipes which arehighly exposed to wear and tear.

A further object is to provide a container, which has a gas permeablebody on the outlet thereof, with a valve connection, for instance athree-way valve, to a gas feed pipe which is connected with the gaspermeable body for introducing selectively various gases. In this mannerreaction gases can be fed through the gas permeable body into the melt.

A still further object is to make it possible to use only one means forcleaning, homogenizing, degassing and securing an undisturbed drain ofthe molten metal. The gassing of the melt from below permits a high gasutilization and the utilization of a gas permeable body, such as a gassink, which produces small gas bubbles and allows an intensive action ofthe gas upon the melt.

With the above and other objects in view which will become apparent fromthe detailed description below, some preferred embodiments of theinvention are shown in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a sliding shutter set on the bottomof a pouring ladle, whereby a gas sink is inserted into its orificeplate,

FIG. 2 is a cross section along section line IIII in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a modification of the invention.

The drawing of the lower part of a pouring ladle with a sliding shutterin FIG. 1 a pouring ladle having a metal casing 1, an internalrefractory lining 2, a refractory block 3 with an inlet hole 3' and arefractory pouring insert 4 embedded within the hole by refractorymortar. The casing plate 5 of the sliding shutter which is screwed tightonto the casing 1, consists of a fixed orifice plate 6 and a slidingpart set across said orifice plate in guideways 5" whereby a cast ironlid 5 is screwed onto the housing plate 5. The sliding part is composedof a cast iron supporting body 7 with a nozzle 7 a valve plate 8positioned therein, and an outflow jacket 9. The displacement between aclosed position, whereby the sliding plate 8 seals a central flowpassage of orifice plate 6, and an open position whereby the flowpassages in the orifice plate 6 and the valve plate 8 align, is achievedby means of a hydraulic drive 10.

In order to avoid the freezing of the melt over the valve plate 8 whenit is in a closed position and so as to make it possible at the sametime to feed a finely dispersed reaction gas, for instance chlorine,into the melt, according to the device of FIG. 1 a porous, gas permeablegas sink 11, such as a ring-shaped insert, is set into the orifice plate6. Sink 11, as shown in FIG. 2, is connected with a gas feeding conduit12 through orifice plate 6. Through this conduit 12 and the gas link 11,different gases may be fed into the melt according to need, through athree-way valve 13. An inert gas can be fed, for instance nitrogen orargon, and a reaction gas, for example chlorine.

The modification according to FIG. 3 is different from FIGS. 1 and 2, inthat the pouring insert 4 forms the gas sink. The gas is fed in thiscase through conduits l4 and 15 through the valve plate 8 and theorifice plate 6.

As a deviation of the shown applications the expert may use manydifferent forms of construction for the gas permeable body as well asmany different ways for connecting gas conduits with the latter. Sincethe function remains always the same, the invention covers also thesevarious modifications.

I claim:

1. A container for a liquid melt and having a sliding shutter for thedischarge of said liquid melt, said container comprising:

a refractory block having an inlet hole;

an orifice plate of refractory material fixed to the bottom of saidrefractory block, said orifice plate having an orifice therein incommunication with said inlet hole;

a slidable valve plate sealingly and slidably positioned against saidorifice plate, said valve plate having a flow passage therethrough;

a porous gas premeable refractory body positioned in said orifice ofsaid orifice plate;

a conduit extending through said orifice plate to said gas premeablebody; and

a plurality of conduit means communicating with said conduit andincluding means to allow the selective communication of a plurality ofdifferent gases to said conduit and thus to said gas premeable body.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gas premeable bodycomprises a ring-shaped insert positioned within said orifice, saidinsert having a flow passage therethrough.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, wherein said conduit extendsradially through said orifice plate.

4. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gas permeable bodycomprises a pouring insert positioned in said inlet hole of saidrefractory block, said insert further extending into said orifice insaid orifice plate, said insert having a flow passage therethrough.

5. A container as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conduit extendssubstantially vertically through said orifice plate to said insert.

6. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of conduitmeans comprises at least one conduit connected to a supply of inert gasand at least one conduit connected to a supply of reaction gas.

7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means to allowselective communication comprises a three-way valve connected to saidconduit and to said conduits connected to said supplies of inert gas andreaction gas.

1. A container for a liquid melt and having a sliding shutter for thedischarge of said liquid melt, said container comprising: a refractoryblock having an inlet hole; an orifice plate of refractory materialfixed to the bottom of said refractory block, said orifice plate havingan orifice therein in communication with said inlet hole; a slidablevalve plate sealingly and slidably positioned against said orificeplate, said valve plate having a flow passage therethrough; a porous gaspremeable refractory body positioned in said orifice of said orificeplate; a conduit extending through said orifice plate to said gaspremeable body; and a plurality of conduit means communicating with saidconduit and including means to allow the selective communication of aplurality of different gases to said conduit and thus to said gaspremeable body.
 2. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gaspremeable body comprises a ring-shaped insert positioned within saidorifice, said insert having a flow passage therethrough.
 3. A containeras claimed in claim 2, wherein said conduit extends radially throughsaid orifice plate.
 4. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidgas permeable body comprises a pouring insert positioned in said inlethole of said refractory block, said insert further extending into saidorifice in said orifice plate, said insert having a flow passagetherethrough.
 5. A container as claimed in claim 4, wherein said conduitextends substantially vertically through said orifice plate to saidinsert.
 6. A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality ofconduit means comprises at least one conduit connected to a supply ofinert gas and at least one conduit connected to a supply of reactiongas.
 7. A container as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means to allowselective communication comprises a three-way valve connected to saidconduit and to said conduits connected to said supplies of inert gas andreaction gas.